Railway-rail joint



(No Model.)

H. H. FII'IELD.

RAILWAY RAIL JOINT.

No. 527,367. Patented Oct. 9,1894.

- Imezzar 156%? if, 391 3: 4-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. FIFIELD, OF LA PLATA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SILAS S. BONl-IAM, OF SAME PLACE, AND BARUCH W. BONHAM,

OF LACROSSE, MISSOURI.

RAI LWAY-RAIL. JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 527,367, dated October 9, 1894. Application filed April 6, 1894- Serial No. 506 (N 111011613 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY I-I. FIFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Plata, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail J oints, of which by using integral rails, which avoid the jarring and pounding of the wheels upon the ends of the rails,when the latter are united in the usual manner, by which they are beaten down and soon destroyed, besides the noise and discomfort inflicted upon passengers, and the danger resulting from high speeds upon roads where such defects may be encountered. It is my purpose, also, to provide a joint for rail ay-rails by which the necessity of using fish-plates, or splice-bars may be avoided, the number of track-bolts diminished, and the labor and time required in laying the track largely reduced.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and then more particularly pointed out a d defined in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a plan View showing the ends of two adjacent rails jointed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section of the same, taken below the raiLhead. Fig. 3, is a central vertical section, taken in the horizontal line of the rail. Fig. 4, is a transverse section upon the line 4:-'4:, in Fig. 1.

The reference numeral 1, in said drawings, indicates the head of a railway-rail of the ordinary pattern, commonly known as a T-rail.

The numerals 2 and 3 denote, respectively, the Web and the foot of said rail.

In applying my invention to this form of rail, the web 2 is increased in thickness until it is flush, or nearly so, with the tread, this increase extending from one extremity of the rail for some little distance, as more fully explained hereinafter. The rail is then slitted in two converging lines 4-4, beginning very near the opposite edges of the tread of the rail and converging to an opening 5, centrally located at some distance from the end of the rail. The lines of cut andthe central opening extend entirely through the thickened web of the rail, as well as its foot. The end of the other rail is provided with a short sec tion of thickened web 6, beyond which the end of the rail is symmetrically tapered in such manner as to lit the opening in the slitted rail and completely fill the same. Upon the extremity, or apex, of the tapered, wedgeshaped tenon 7, is formed an enlargement 8, similar in its outline to the shape of the opening 5 in the slitted rail, but preferably somewhat smaller than the same, in order that a limited play may be possible. The wedgeshaped tenon 7 and enlargement 8 extend, like the mortise in the other rail, from the tread entirely through the web and foot of the rail, so that when the rails are jointed together the'mortise and the opening 8 are completely filled.

When the rails are united, a bolt 9 is passed through the thickened web of the slitted end of the one rail and through the wedge-shaped tenon, and a nut 10 is turned upon its end. I may employ more than one bolt, should the weight of the rail, or the circumstances of the case require it, but in ordinary cases a single bolt, or two at most, will be sulficient.

The rails are supported upon sleepers in the ordinary way, and secured by spikes, or

in any preferred manner. Instead, however,

of requiring chairs for the meeting ends of the rails, as has been usual heretofore, the rails may be spiked directly to the sleepers, a single spike on each side being all that is ordinarily necessary. Notches 12 may be formed in the rail-foot for this purpose. I am able, also, to dispense with the use of fishplates, splice-bars, and like devices heretofore employed to sustain the ends of the rails and hold them in juxtaposition. At the same time, my invention provides for the expansion and contraction due to variations in termperature, provides a joint which renders the two rails practically a unit,so far as wear, smooth travel, and strength are regarded.

What I claim is 1. A rail-joint consisting of a symmetrically tapered, wedge-shaped tenon on the end of one rail; adapted to enter and fill a notch formed by slitting the end of the abutting rail in converging lines, said tenon having an enlargement at its apex, or extremity, adapted to lie in an opening at the point of the notch in the other rail, substantially as described. r

2. A rail-joint consisting of a symmetrically tapered, wedge-shaped tenon having an enlargement at its apex adapted to enter and fill a notch in the end of the abutting rail formed by converging slits extending from the edges of the tread through a thickened part of the web andthrough the foot, said notch having an opening at its point to receive the enlargement on the end of the tenon, substantially as described. v,

3. A rail-joint consisting of two meeting; rail-ends, having a portion of the web thicken'ed to the width of the tread, one end provided with a notch formed by slits extending from the edges of the tread to a central open-' ened to the width of the tread, one end provided with a notch formed by slitsextending from the edges of the tread to a central opening'at a distance from the end of the rail, and

the other rail-end having a tenon symmetrically tapered to fill said notch, its apex provided with an enlargement corresponding in outline, but smaller than, the central opening in the other rail, said notch and opening extending from the tread through the foot of the rail, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand and affixed my seal in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, HENRY H. FIFIELD. [L. s] Witnesses:

W. P. JoHNs'oN,

J. W. SANDERS. 

